Natural hazards · Salem

Salem, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Salem comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1979. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Salem?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Salem to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes42%Inland flooding33%Tornadoes7%Strong wind6%Cold waves6%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Salem faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Earthquakes

42% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Salem flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Salem, from FEMA’s records.

7paid claims since 1979

$136Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Central U.S. April Flooding: 1 claim, $14K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Salem isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Marion County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Salem

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Salem itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Salem.

Brought FEMA money into SalemDeclared for Marion County only

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the City of Salem for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$14K to the City of Salem for repairs

Marion County has had 6 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Salem is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Salem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Salem. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.